Liferaft

ABSTRACT

An inflatable liferaft is provided with an inflatable strut. The strut is in the form of a double-walled sleeve which permits erection of the strut on either side of the floor of the raft.

United States Patent 2,496,460 2/1950 Evans inventor Arthur George Tulett Granby, Quebec, Canada (c/o Tul Safety Equipment Ltd., 2240 Beaconsiield Ave., Montreal, Quebec, Canada) Appl. No. 778,460

Filed Nov. 25, 1968 Patented Apr. 13, 1971 LIFERAFI 3 Claims, 8 Drawing Figs.

U.S.Cl /11.1 Int. Cl B63c 9/04 Field of Search 9/ 1 1. 1

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,764,766 10/1956 Boyle et a1. 9/1 1.1

3,034,154 5/1962 Silverstone 9/1 1.1

3,092,854 6/1963 Manhart 9/1 1.1 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,035,755 8/1953 France 9/1 1.1

Primary ExaminerMi1ton Buchler Assistant ExaminerSteven W. Weinrieb Attorney-Jacobi, Davidson, Lilling & Siegel ABSTRACT: An inflatable liferaft is provided with an inflatable strut. The strut is in the form of a double-walled sleeve which permits erection of the strut on either side of the floor of the raft.

Patented April 13, 1911 3 Shoots-Shut 1 twliwr QR @RTQQR cseoflua Tohi'i'r FIQ. 2

Patenka April 13,1911

3 Shuts-Shut 2 FIG.

FIG. 4

I CANOPY AND STRUT AssY i CONFINEMENT AREA mew a Patented April 13, 1911 '.s,s14,s7s

3 Shuts-Shut 5 QM mm Gauss You-v1 LIFERAFT This invention relates to improvements in inflatable liferafts of the reversible type. In particular, it relates to an improver'nent in liferafts which are provided with an inflatable central strut for support of a canopy for the protection of the occupants of the liferaft.

Such liferafts are known in the art and are exemplified by the recent Canadian Pat. No. 644,578, R. J. Phillips, Jul. 10, I962; No. 675,042, J. Silverstone, Nov. 26, I963; and No. 676,540, D. V. Edwards, Dec. 24, 1963. In the above three patents a central inflatable strut is provided, and in particular the patent to Silverstone discloses a liferaft having two central inflatable struts and providing for the erection of a strut on either side of the floor of the liferaft, rendering it more nearly reversible under operating conditions. However, there is a need for a liferaft having a reversible inflatable strut which is simpler and easier to use in practice and which will require less gas for erection and particularly for reerection after reversal.

One type of reversible liferaft comprises two tubular buoyancy chambers superimposed, and a floor assembly located between and tangential to both chambers. Another type comprises a single tubular buoyancy chamber supporting a floor assembly tangential to its inner median line. It is well known to provide such a liferaft with a detachable canopy unit; manually erected an supported by a number of detachable rigid strutsyas climatic protection for the occupants. Such a canopy and strut arrangement, while satisfactory under favorable conditions, becomes difficult to erect by one occupant and is prone to loss in severe weather or in the event of liferaft capsize. The support afforded by rigid struts does not provide adequate resilience under waves to minimize canopy or strut damage. The canopy skirt may be provided with means of releasable securement to, or about, the buoyancy chambers at the peripheries of the liferaft. The assembly must be adapted to erection by one occupant, regardless of which side of the liferaft is facing up following initial liferaft inflation deployment. Some of 'the disadvantages-of the rigid support can be overcome by the provision of a nonrigid inflatable support strut arrangement forming an integral part of the liferaft floor.

It is an object of this invention to provide a liferaft of this type having an inflatable support strut which can be erected on either side of the floor of the liferaft.

The present invention therefore provides an inflatable reversible strut adapted for use in a liferaft and comprising a double-wall inflatable sleeve formed of impermeable flexible material. a

The present invention further provides a strut of this type having a generally cylindrical shape and having a base end and a distal end, said base end being adapted for flexible peripheral attachment to the inner periphery of an aperture in the floor of a liferaft, said distal end being adapted to receive and support a canopy,-said canopy being releasably securable at its outer periphery to the periphery of the liferaft.

A strut of this type should preferably be provided with l means for inflating and deflating the sleeve and should be accessible to the operator from either side of the sleeve at the base end. For example, the sleeve may have a valve on each side within reach of the base end of the strut. This could also be achieved by having a single valve in or near an aperture through the sleeve which would then enable it to be reached from either side of the sleeve.

The present invention further provides such a strut wherein the double walls of the sleeve are formed into parallel interconnected reeds shaped and separated by V-strips or I-beams as permeable separating means. These strips or spacer patches of this type are effective in controlling the thickness of the walls and are fixed thereto in such a way as to permit some passage of air between adjacent reeds. The walls of the cylinder are desirably formed of rubber-coated nylon or cotton cloth having one to three plies.

In the drawings which accompany this application:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of the liferaft with the strut inflated and the canopy secured to the perimeter of the top buoyancy chamber,

FIG. 2 is a side elevation of the liferaft shown in FIG. 1,

FIG. 3 is a section through the liferaft taken on the line III-III of H01,

FIG. 4 shows a section IV-IV through the sleeve strut of FIG. 3,

FIG. 5 shows canopy and strut confinement area within the protective covers,

FIG. 6 shows the top protective cover removed, and the canopy and strut extracted from confinement and ready for strut inflation,

FIG. 7 shows the strut inflated and canopy secured to the perimeter of the upper buoyancy chamber,

FIG. 8 shows an alternate position of the canopy should the liferaft become inverted.

The drawings accompanying and fonning part of the specification illustrate a practical embodiment of the invention. The structure however may be modified and changed as regards the immediate illustration, all within the true intent and scope of the present invention. Ancillary details have been omitted from these drawings for clarity, and the drawings are generally schematic only. A

The drawings 1 to illustrate a preferred embodiment in accordance with the present invention. In accordance with this embodiment the liferaft comprises a generally flat floor l0 cemented or otherwise secured between two toroidal buoyancy chambers 11 and 12 as shown in FIG. 3. The floor is provided with a central aperture 13, on the periphery of which, is cemented the lower or base portion of an inflatable sleeve strut 14. The lower portion of the strut 14 is provided with a flexible hinge 15, which allows the strut to be inverted when deflated, by reeving it through the floor aperture 13. The strut 14 is double-walled and fitted with valves 16 inside and out so as to allow inflation or deflation from inside the raft regardless which side of the sleeve faces outwards. The strut 14 preferably is formed of an impermeable flexible material; for this purpose, the walls of the cylinder may advantageously be formed of rubber-coated nylon or cotton cloth having one to three plies. FIG. 4 section IV-IV shows the location of V- strips 21 which control the inflated shape of the sleeve strut while permitting airflow between adjacent reeds or sections of the sleeve. Alternatively, the V-strips 21 may be replaced by I- beams or any other equivalent structure to permit limited fluid communication between the adjacent reeds.

A canopy 17 incorporating a vent at its apex, is cemented to the upper portion of the sleeve strut which also forms a hinge 15, to allow the canopy to be inverted by reeving it through sleeve strut l4 and the floor aperture 13. The skirt of the canopy is fitted with means of releasable securement 18 to the upper 11 or lower 12 buoyancy chambers.

As shown in FIG. 5, the canopy and strut assembly is normally confined for storage within protective covers 19 ccmented on each side of the floor 10 at aperture 13. Each cover 19 is fitted with a tear strip 20 to allow access to the canopy assembly from either side of the floor 10.

The canopy system erection sequence is as follows: The tear strip 20 of the protective cover 19, located inside the liferaft, is removed and the protective cover 19 is discarded. The canopy 17 and strut 14 are extracted from the lower cover 19 and the strut 14 is inflated by any convenient means via valve 16. The canopy skirt securement 18 is then attached to the periphery of the upperbuoyancy chamber 11 to complete the erection.

Should the liferaft capsize after erection of the mast, the canopy skirt anchorage 18 is released from the submerged buoyancy chamber 11, the protective cover 19 within the liferaft is removed by pulling the tear strip 20, the strut I4 is deflated via valve 16, the deflated strut I4 is recved through itself along with the eanopy l7 and the erection is completed as described above.

Liferafts provided with struts in accordance with the present invention have been found to be particularly useful since the strut provides positive canopy support accompanied by built-in resilience. The flexible strut acts as a shock absorber to cushion the raft against wave action and the resilience provides immediate recovery of the struts as the wave recedes.

lclaim:

I. An inflatable reversible strut in a liferalt, comprising a generally cylindrical double-wall inflatable open-ended sleeve formed of impermeable flexible material and having a base end and a distal end, said base end being peripherally attached to the inner periphery of an aperture in the floor of a liferaft, said distal end being open and having a canopy secured around the periphery thereof, said canopy being releasably securable at its outer periphery to the outer periphery of the liferaft, said canopy and said strut being adapted to be reeved through the center of said strut and through the aperture in the liferaft floor.

2. A strut as in claim 1, said strut being provided with a valve on each of the sides of the sleeve whereby to facilitate deflation and inflation of the sleeve from either side.

3. A strut as in claim 2, wherein the double walls of the sleeve are formed into parallel interconnected reeds shaped and separated by V-strips as permeable separating means, said walls being formed of rubber-coated nylon or cotton cloth having one to three plies. 

1. An inflatable reversible strut in a liferaft, comprising a generally cylindrical double-wall inflatable open-ended sleeve formed of impermeable flexible material and having a base end and a distal end, said base end being peripherally attached to the inner periphery of an aperture in the floor of a liferaft, said distal end being open and having a canopy secured around the periphery thereof, said canopy being releasably securable at its outer periphery to the outer periphery of the liferaft, said canopy and said strut being adapted to be reeved through the center of said strut and through the aperture in the liferaft floor.
 2. A strut as in claim 1, said strut being provided with a valve on each of the sides of the sleeve whereby to facilitate deflation and inflation of the sleeve from either side.
 3. A strut as in claim 2, wherein the double walls of the sleeve are formed into parallel interconnected reeds shaped and separated by V-strips as permeable separating means, said walls being formed of rubber-coated nylon or cotton cloth having one to three plies. 